Secondhand Smoke

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What is Secondhand Smoke?

Secondhand smoke is the smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar combined with the smoke breathed out by the smoker. You can be exposed to secondhand smoke anytime a person smokes near you.

Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 deaths from lung cancer and about 46,000 deaths from heart disease every year. The more you are around secondhand smoke, the more likely you are to get sick. There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke.

Other health problems caused by secondhand smoke include:

• nasal sinus cancer
• eye, nose, and throat irritation
• coughing
• congestion

Secondhand Smoke Exposure in the Workplace

The good news is that most employees in the U.S. work for businesses with smoke-free policies. The bad news is that many workers are still exposed to secondhand smoke, especially those who work in bars and restaurants. Studies have found that restaurant and bar workers breathe more secondhand smoke than other workers and have higher rates of lung cancer.

Many restaurant and bar owners argue that smoking bans will hurt their business. But studies have shown that smoke-free policies have not hurt the business of bars and restaurants. In New York City, income and the number of jobs in the city both increased after a city-wide smoking ban was put in place. Today, more and more states are passing laws banning smoking in restaurants and bars.

How Secondhand Smoke Affects Babies and Children

Studies show that babies born to mothers who were exposed to secondhand smoke during their pregnancy have more health problems than babies whose moms were not around secondhand smoke. These babies tend to have weaker lungs and lower birth weights. Also, babies of mothers who smoke before and after birth are more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby under one year of age.

Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for these health problems:

• asthma
• pneumonia
• bronchitis
• ear infections
• wheezing
• coughing

Studies show that children of smokers are sick more often than children of nonsmokers.

Take care of yourself and your children by quitting smoking today. For help quitting, visit our How to Quit section.

Tips for Avoiding Secondhand Smoke

If you live with a smoker:

• Ask her/him to smoke outside.
• If she/he refuses, suggest other ways to protect yourself and your children. Ask the smoker to smoke only in one room or smoke at home only when you and the children are not there.
• Open a window to let some fresh air in or use a fan to blow the smoke outside.
• Support smokers who are trying to quit.

When visitors come:

• Ask smokers who visit not to smoke in your house.

In others' homes:

• Ask others nicely to not smoke around you.
• Let smokers know if you're having problems (such as coughing or itchy eyes) because of their smoking.

If you have children:

• Ask babysitters, family members, and caregivers not to smoke around your children.
• If the smoker still smokes around your children, have your children leave the room or play outside while she/he is smoking.

Away from home:

• Spend time in smoke-free places.
• Avoid restaurants and bars that allow smoking.

For more information on secondhand smoke, see The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General.

Additional Information on Secondhand Smoke:

Publications

1.   Health Effects of Exposure to Secondhand Smoke - This publication describes what secondhand smoke is and how it puts exposed children at risk, especially those that suffer from asthma.

   http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/healtheffects.html

2.   Take the Smoke-free Homes Pledge - This online-pledge encourages parents to maintain a smoke-free home for their children.

   http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/pledge/index.html

3.   The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General - This web site provides links to the Surgeon General's report on secondhand smoke, information about this report, and fact sheets about the effects of secondhand smoke.

   http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/

4. Secondhand Smoke and Your Family (Copyright © ALA) - This publication explains what secondhand smoke is, what the effects are, and how it is especially harmful to children. It also discusses ways to protect your family from secondhand smoke both in and out of the home.

   http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=39858

5. Smoking and Asthma (Copyright © Nemours Foundation) - The on-line fact sheet explains why secondhand smoke is bad for your health and why it is especially dangerous for teens with asthma.

   http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/managing_asthma/triggers/smoking_asthma.html

6.   Tobacco Harm to Kids (Copyright © Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids) - This publication gives facts on how tobacco use harms children before birth and through their development in life. It discusses how exposure to secondhand smoke from family members can affect kids and what the effects of teen smoking are.

   http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0104.pdf

Organizations

1.   Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse (IAQ INFO)
2.   National Cancer Institute, NIH, HHS
3. American Cancer Society
4. American Lung Association
5. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
6. Prevent Cancer Foundation

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated March 19, 2008.